The mountains in @guadalupe.mountains rise sharply from the surrounding desert floor to form an island of outstanding diversity. At first glance, the desert may seem barren and nearly devoid of life. A closer look, however, will reveal that this Texas landscape actually supports an amazing diversity of wildlife and plants. Pic by Kelly Feeney (Sharetheexperience.com).

The sky’s field of stars unfolds along the Pa'rus Trail at Zion National Park in Utah. The trail follows the Virgin River in the broadest section of Zion Canyon. Located near the visitor center, it is an easy trail to explore to see the wide range of the park’s splendor. Visiting during sunrise and sunset promises beautiful light. In the evening, the night sky promises some of the best stargazing opportunities. Don’t forget your mask! Bring water, your mask and your sense of wonder. Photo by Karen Wong (www.sharetheexperience.org).  

Time spent among the giants at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California gives us moments of awe. This dramatic landscape testifies to nature’s size, beauty and diversity—huge mountains, rugged foothills, deep canyons, vast caverns and the world’s largest trees. If you’re short on time, a one-hour drive takes you up to the Giant Forest Grove of sequoia trees, including the General Sherman Tree, the largest living thing on earth. Photo courtesy of Mark Bouldoukian (@markian.b).

For a short time in February – if the conditions are perfect – Horsetail Fall at Yosemite National Park in #California glows red and orange and looks like lava falling down the side of El Capitan. Visitors flock to the park every year to see this phenomenon, which happens when sunset hits the waterfall at just the right angle, illuminating the water and mist in brilliant orange light. If you have a chance to witness #Yosemite’s Firefall, remember to go slow, plan ahead, mask up and share the amazing views. Photo of 2019 #Firefall courtesy of Daniel Berson.

“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” - Ansel Adams.
Happy birthday to this pioneering photographer Ansel Adams! His photographs continue to serve as a tremendous inspiration. The bend at the Snake River Overlook in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park is an iconic shot and one Ansel Adams took himself, who was born on February 20, 1902. 

Pic 1: Photo of Snake River Overlook taken by Ansel Adams, National Park Service

Pic 2: Photo of Snake River Overlook taken by Tobiason, National Park Service

Pic 3: Photo of Ansel Adams shown as pictured in the 1950 Yosemite Field School yearbook.

Access in Glacier National Park, Montana during the winter is limited, but there are still spectacular sights for those who are prepared for winter adventure. The view from this snowshoe hike to Apgar Lookout rises nearly 2,000 feet above the glacially-carved, Lake McDonald Valley. Photo by Jacob W. Frank, National Park Service.

Rare sighting! Male painted buntings bring a burst of color to any scene - with spectacular feathers that look unreal. They are some of the most recognizable and striking songbirds in the country. This particular painted bunting has become a celebrity along the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park for the past several weeks. Normally found much farther south, this bird has stuck around, enjoying the park’s accommodations. Stretching 184.5 miles, the C&O Canal travels through Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C., offering views and access to the stunning Potomac River. Throughout the year, many of the park’s 3 million annual visitors come to enjoy the outdoors, hike, bike, jog, ride horses and if they’re lucky, observe wildlife both expected and unusual. This bright bird has drawn in birders and curious onlookers, respectfully catching glimpses of it as it scours the surrounding plants for food.

Photo courtesy of Stacy Beck. Male painted buntings are the most spectacularly colored of all North American songbirds, with their bold combination of red, blue, green and yellow feathers.

The Racetrack Playa at Death Valley National Park is home to one of the most enduring mysteries. All across the bottom of this dry lakebed are hundreds of rocks that leave trails on the ground when they move. Some of the rocks, which weigh up to 700 pounds, have traveled over 1,500 feet. For years, the source of their movement had gone unsolved, but in 2014 researchers discovered a rare combination of events that move the rocks. When the California playa floods and cold winter nights freeze the water into a thin layer of ice that then break into large floating panels as night turns into day, winds drive the rocks forward across the slippery surface, which leave trails in the soft mud below. Although scientists have discovered the secret of the moving rocks, the fascination remains the same. With such a fragile surface, being careful to not leave tracks in this remote area will help keep it fascinating and mysterious for years to come. Photo by Shu Xu (www.sharetheexperience.org).

Welcome to Paradise. Located on the south side of Mount Rainier National Park in Washington, the area features stunning scenery, waterfalls and subalpine meadows. The second you reach the parking lot, you’re overwhelmed with epic mountain views. The rolling, verdant mountainside along the Myrtle Falls trail provides plenty of opportunities for photographs and places to pause and process the beauty. At these higher elevations, it’s always good to prepare for winter conditions, be flexible with your plans and follow the safety measures that the park recommends. Photo by Kristopher Schoenleber (www.sharetheexperience.org).

#ICYMI We’re looking back on the favorite posts of 2020 and we simply had to include a summer shot from Paradise #Top10of2020

Paiute Indians occupied the area around what is now Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah starting around 800 years ago. This dramatic plateau was used for seasonal hunting and gathering activities, but there is no evidence of permanent settlements among the curious red rock formations. The tribal legend of Bryce Canyon was explained to a park naturalist in 1936 by a Paiute elder who then lived on the Kaibab Reservation: “Before there were humans, the Legend People, To-when-an-ung-wa, lived in that place. They were of many kinds - birds, animals, lizards and such things, but they looked like people. They were not people. They had power to make themselves look that way. For some reason the Legend People in that place were bad… the tale is not clear at this point. Because they were bad, Coyote turned them all into rocks. You can see them in that place now all turned into rocks; some standing in rows, some sitting down, some holding onto others. You can see their faces, with paint on them just as they were before they became rocks. The name of that place is Angka-ku-wass-a-wits (red painted faces). This is the story the people tell.” Photo by National Park Service.

Reposted as we look back on the favorite posts of 2020